Stand By Me (15 page)

“One question, since you are so observant, Mrs. Blakemore. Did you witness anyone pull their weapons on the defendant, your husband, Jonathan Blakemore? Remember you're still under oath,” he said holding a hand out indicating Jonathan.

Would her answer send him to prison? Could she lie? Kenya pressed her foot to the floor of the witness stand to keep from tapping it.

“Do I need to repeat the question Mrs. Blakemore?”

It wouldn't change her answer if he had. “I can't answer that question, Mr. Davis.”

“You are under oath Mrs. Blakemore, it's not a choice.”

“I can't answer that because I was doubled over in pain when he pulled me from the car praying that I didn't lose my baby.”

The room swelled with murmurs condemning the prosecutor's accusations.

“You may step down Mrs. Blakemore,” the Judge said and the bailiff held a hand out for her to step down the two stairs walking her to her seat. “Mr. Davis I've heard enough testimony to make a ruling on Mr. Jonathan Blakemore's actions that night. Looking at the crime scene pictures, the bodies positioned on the ground behind the cars corroborates with Mr. Jamie Blakemore's testimony. As well as the hospital’s guards written testimony as to where Mrs. Blakemore’s car was positioned. Jonathan Blakemore please stand.”

Holding Sophie's hand in her lap, Kenya closed her eyes blocking out everything but the judge's words.

“Mr. Hines after reviewing the surveillance tape presented to my office earlier this week, showing three of the victims in this case abusing horses in Mr. Blakemore’s stable, and subsequently being relieved of their duties, there’s sufficient cause to believe this to be a revenge attack on Mr. Blakemore.On the charge of shooting the four men, I charge you, Jonathan Blakemore, with aggravated assault and sentence you to six months in prison. At that time we will hold your trial on the murder of Graham Brennar.”

Happy and angered voices rang out as everyone with an opinion voiced it as the court began to clear.

Jonathan was held over until his trial to prove his innocence in the death of Graham, by some miracle, they didn't charge him outright with murder but aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Security cameras showed Jonathan getting Kenya to her car and a shot rang out overhead, ruled it defense, and gave him sixty days for firing a gun at a hospital concurrent with the six months.

Kenya stood arms around his waist as the bailiff handcuffed Jonathan. On tiptoe, she held his face and kissed his mouth, keeping her eyes open she absorbed his every line, crease, and freckle.

“We'll get through this, Mo Ru'n, then I'll be home. I don't want you visiting me in prison, it's not a place I want me wife.” There was no point in protesting, she didn't want to be there any more than he wanted her there. “Watching you on the stand you made me proud. No one caught the missing rain, and you picked up on it the moment you saw the video. Don't let them rattle you,” Jonathan said, acknowledging the bailiff at his side with a quick nod. “These people aren't just supporting me, they're supporting you.” He winked and it moved through her as if he'd kissed her. “And ye breaking down in front of me, tells me ye see me as your shelter, Mo Ru'n. I couldna ask for a better gift than to know ye need me.”

“I always need you,” she replied gently.

Watching their fingers slip apart as the bailiff lead Jonathan, Kenya brought her hand to her face inhaling his scent on her skin.

The contentment on his face knowing he was her protection took away every line creasing his forehead. As he backed away and out the doors with the bailiff Kenya wrapped her free arm around her body, rocking back and forth. All he ever wants is to know she needs him. Please legs don't give out now.

Chapter Twelve

Michigan's cold winter air had Julia gripping her scarf over her mouth as she ran across the street to the police station. Her heeled boots clacked over the manhole cover as she let Jamie hold her hand and practically drag her through the crowd of people waiting on the DOT city bus standing under the Plexiglas bus top shelter. The donut Shoppe’s sweet aroma filled the air and she'd give her cell phone for a cup of coffee. Getting up too early in the morning to meet Jamie on the private airstrip at Metro airport, she didn't have time for breakfast. Detective Diaz went out of his way to get the kids, Jonathan's supported through the years and a number of parents down to the precinct before school started to speak with them.

Inside the vestibule of the station, they were ushered into an interview room she stumbled back at the crowd waiting for them. Kids lined the walls with their parents and a video camera was set up on the far end of the room with a chair placed before the lens.

“Ms. Hernandez...I'm Detective Diaz,” he offered to shake Julia's hand before she could remove her gloves. “Mrs. Blakemore called, gave me a list of all the information that you'd need.” The gun bobbed in the holster at his hip when he reached past her to shake Jamie's hand. “I have to tell you, this sucks. Jonathan is a hero to these kids.” He extended a hand. “You have to be related to Jonathan Blakemore. You look just like him.”

Jamie grasped the man's hand tightly shaking the detective’s shorter stature. “Detective Diaz, this is above and beyond. I'm Jamie Blakemore, Jonathan's cousin.”

After the introductions, the three of them sat around a long rectangle table and Jamie explained as much as they needed to know. Julia couldn't take her eyes off his handsome face. For an hour, she watched him orchestrate the kids into a video testimony any judge would be proud to show in his courtroom. After meeting with the detective, he took her to lunch at Coney Island down from the office in Northville.

Jamie pressed in beside her in the booth. “Am I gonna see you after all this is over, Julia?”

Wow straight to the hard question. “I'll take you around to see the state if you come up to visit sometime.”

“Och, I'll try that again.” Jamie lifted her chin with his knuckle. “Will I know what you look like in the morning before I leave or will I have to use my imagination?”

“I'm not that easy, Jamie,” she said hoping he couldn’t smell her perfume burning on her neck from the heat riding up her body.

“Aye...come by Jonathan's penthouse tonight and I'll order some dinner and we can talk. If you think I'm gonna attack ye then I'll leave the door open.”

It's a penthouse. He could leave the door and windows open, unless they knew the code the elevator would only bring a person so far up.

“I don't know where Jonathan's penthouse is? And Kenya told me about the shortbread cookies and ice cream and whiskey. Don't think I'm falling for the dessert angle.”

His smile made the zipper on her skirt loosen. “I'll give you the directions. If ye stay the night or leave after dinner, I wanna get to know you, Julia. Besides, I would’na waste liquor on desserts, I'd lick it from between your thighs as it dripped between your...”

“Whoa, big daddy,” Julia said, refusing his advances, behind her outstretched hand until the corner of his mouth quirked up and Jamie gave her a sexy grin killing her fight.What could a little dinner hurt? “What time?”

Jamie reclined in the booth and took a drink of water then set his glass on the table turning to look at Julia. “After work, we can stay in or you can take me to the pub ye hang out at.”

“I don't hang out in pubs; don't even know if I’ve ever been in one.”

“Oy, yer never been to a pub, lass?”

She shrugged. “Can't say I have,” Julia acknowledged and wondered how many delicious Irishmen were lurking unknown in the many downtown pubs.Julia fought the temptation to run a hand through his black hair. Black thick waves shining blue under the restaurant overhead lights.

“Then we'll find one to take you to.”

“I'm game if you are.” His entire body crowded the little booth and she let her knee rub along his thigh under the table. She closed her eyes to the moan creeping up her throat. The girth of Jamie’s thigh muscles felt like braided marble beneath his pants. The man was a monster under his clothes, just her type.

“I'm more than game where yer concerned lass. Eat and I'll get ye back to work on time.”

Julia said, “You Blakemore men have no subtle side.”

“Aye, subtle is for the next morning when I'm rubbing yer back to wake ye for round three.”

She sat back, stared at the out spoken wonder sitting beside her, and shook her head. This is how Kenya got pregnant, the accent. Julia shook her head and drank her coke. This guy should come with a warning.

“Let's concentrate on getting your cousin out of prison.”

“Then I'll leave an open invitation for you to visit me at the estate, but I want the same from you.”

“You wanna just drop in whenever you like? What if I have company?”

“You won't.”

Chapter Thirteen

“Nobody told me I'd be this horny and pregnant. If you were here, I'd mount you like a horse and ride you around the suite. Jonathan you have to help me, I don't care what you say but I want dirty talk now.”

Jonathan turned toward the warden standing guard at the door, gave a quick head thrust, then shoved a hand in his jeans pocket. Hell, his pregnant wife wanted phone sex.

“Where are you?”

Kenya said in a wicked, lusty voice, “How do they put it in the romance novels, I'm padding into the bathroom easing the silky burgundy robe from my shoulder, my skin puckering from the cool air closing around my flesh. I stepped away from the puddle of silk around my ankles, biting my bottom lip in anticipation of your touch,” she said her voice thick and sensual. “Lighting the raspberry candle, I inhaled the sweet scent filling the air, my legs beginning to tremble, my sex moistening with every step over the cool tile floor, I take slow steps crossing the large space with my thighs brushing past one another.”

His brows rose listening to her sultry tone through the phone. “Hell I might start reading them now. I thought you didn't read romance novels?”

“If I hadn't I would've thought you were trying to kill me on the counter in the bathroom our first time together. Enough stalling, Jonathan, our time is running out and I'm on fire and the scent of this candle is driving me crazy.”

“I'd rather smell you heating up with my face buried between your soft thighs, my tongue tasting every sweet inch of your delicate skin.”

She moaned. “Sounds like you've been thinking about this already.”

“That's all I do is think about you, Kenya.”

“And what has that analytical mind of yours been thinking about?”

“Kissing your mouth, not just your lips, but your mouth, Kenya,” he told her gripping the receiver hard enough to make it crack. “The way you kiss, the way you hold my lip between yours, never taking your eyes from mine, and suck my lip into your mouth, tugging back and forth, that's what I think about,” and what he missed.

“Mmm...I love kissing you, Jonathan. Your lips are sensual...perfect for sucking, especially the bottom one.”

He adjusted himself straining against his zipper by stepping out wide. “You kiss with your heart, Kenya, your entire body responds when you slip your tongue in my mouth. Moaning, licking your tongue around, tasting every inch, drives me to the edge of my sanity.” He ran a hand over his pants trying not to grab himself through the jeans. “Woman when you sit on my lap it's like the kiss travels up from your clit and you make love to my tongue when you suck it, your hips writhing against me.”

Kenya blew out a breath, her voice rasping over the line, “When your tongue touches mine, I become a stranger within my body. No longer do I exist in broken pieces searching for a reason why, but breathlessly anticipating every flick of your tongue awakening a new sensation.”

He scrubbed the back of his neck squeezing his eyes shut forcing himself not to moan out loud or start cursing.

“Your kisses are private conversations I like to think you've never had with other men. A broken woman can't kiss the way you do, Kenya.”

“I was...until you came along and touched my heart and my soul, that's when I realized the pieces weren't broken, just waiting to connect with yours to complete the picture.”

“Imagining your lips on me I have some parts ready to connect with yours.”

Kenya drew in a long breath and sighed deep in her throat. “This isn't helping, Jonathan. How do you get through the long nights?”

The air in the room was funky with men, but he'd work through it for his Kenya. “Take off your clothes, whatever you have on and let the air caress your skin, making your nipples stand out hard for me. Now step into the shower and set the water to warm on pulse settingand angle it toward the back of the shower.”

He could hear the squeak of the faucet turning and the swish of the water on the tile floor.

“Okay,” she said voice raspy and sensual. “I'm in here with the water on the pulse setting and it's hitting the back wall. Tell me what it's like for you at night, honey.”

“In my cell, running my hands over my mattress envisioning the easy plain of your smooth skin on your back, makes it bearable to lie against it on my t-shirt. The way it dips in the center, I picture that soft dip between your thighs warm gripping my cock rubbing back and forth as I push deep inside your slick body.”

“Mmm,” she moaned and he could almost feel the heat of her breath. “When the lights go out.”

He continued, “And it's just me and the sounds around me. I picture you in the shower and us on the roof of the penthouse.”

“Both? How?”

“Och, men in prison cry, snore, and moan in their sleep, but in my mind I replace it with the night sounds heard from the roof of the penthouse. I imagine, it's raining, and my leather jacket's spread out over the roof vent blowing warm air.” He inhaled calming his body to hang in there a little longer. “Stand under the water, Mo Ru'n and bend over let the warm water lick between your behind, drip down your thighs enjoy my tongue slipping up and down.If you tasted any better I’d be afraid I’d bite you.” Memories ofher sweet scent that drove him crazy when he’d tasted her for the first time in his office filled his mind. He continued, “Picture us on the roof, the boats gliding over the dark river below, car horns honking out front, the glow of the city lights glittering around us. On my back I can see the black sky framing the soft skin of your shoulders as you ride me, your long whiskey colored legs folded back lifting you up and down gripping me deep inside you.” He paused to peer up at the ceiling counting to ten, eleven twelve… “Touch her for me honey, a caress. Be gentle and easy, when you slip between the swollen lips, because I know they are, don’t push too hard, they'll open with a light touch.” He swiped at the moisture running from his mouth dragging a hand down his face.He was on fire. “That's it, in and out, feel each ripple of muscle pulsing along the walls inside your sex. She’s very responsive if you treat her right, let her know you care.” He was gonna explode. “Use three fingers, don't waste time with one or two...she's use to thick and wide.”